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Re: bioavailability (medical)

> I recently came across the word "bioavailable" in some pharmaceutical
> material I was reviewing. Is this a currently popular synonym for
> "efficacy," or does "bioavailable" denote something more, e.g. the speed at
> which the drug is metabolized, takes effect, etc.?

> Context sentence: [drug name] is a more bioavailable form of [chemical
> formulation], and achieves systemic exposure previously attainable only
> with I.V. [drug name]

> Any help appreciated.

> Brad

It seems to mean that the drug is more readily assimilated into the
body, achieving greater "systemic exposure" (distribution throughout the
body?) than early I.V. forms of the drug. I would imagine it's common
medical or pharmaceutical jargon, so the intended readers of the
material would probably understand the term.